Healthy eating in the field?

[Opah]

Just coming out of a heart issue and eating healthy and maintaining a healthy blood sugar level is stressed for my recovery.
So Cup of noodles, Spam, all the good quick stuff is out, at the moment I have some trail mixes and Jerky, can't stand oat meal, cream of wheat or grits, so i guess it toast and coffee for breakfast and a nice stake at camp for dinner but what about the rest of the day and days out in the field ?
Anyone have pointers for me ?

 

[dtrkyman]

I like dried fruit, may not work for you but sugar still attached to the fiber in fruit is processed much differently than juice or just added sugars. Apricots, cranberry figs and dates.

You mentioned trail mix, how about some almond butter, love that stuff. Cheese is probably out for you.

Toast really doesn't seem to fit the healthy bill, maybe sour dough?

I make my own trail mix but eating too many nuts gets old for me quick!

 

[Jn78]

If you are worried about blood sugar, you can probably do better than bread for breakfast.

If day hunting, you can pretty much take whatever you want.

Smoked salmon, jerky, nuts, seeds, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, hummus, tin fish, avocados, low fat greek yogurt smoothie, turkey, salads with olive oil and vinegar dressing, ect. are all heart healthy options and can be packed easily.

 

[Opah]

Ya my toast and coffee are vises I refuse to give up, two slices a day first thing in the morning.
Not to hot about fish unless I have caught it, Fresh fruits and Veggies could work in a pack situation, anyone ever try those tuna in a bag stuff ? I can do Tuna.
I do string cheese sticks in my pack, never tried almond butter? but if it is anything like that crap almond milk with the juice of 11 almonds in each 1/2 gallon you can keep it.
I do keep a baggy full of sugar free hard candy and cough drops in my pack, keeps my throat from drying out and passes time.
So guess the bagged meats such as tuna, chicken not sure if there is beef of some kind, is a good start.

 

[Moserkr]

Jerky, nuts, dried fruit, tuna packets with mayo packet n crackers or a tortilla, egg white scramble in a tortilla is good too. Can add salsa or veggies in it for healthiness. Rx i believe makes some good almond butter - like peanut butter but better and has egg whites and a date in it. If backpacking I do freeze dried meals, but if not meat veggies n potatoes is a good go to.

Meal prepping helps a lot for car camping. My buddies and I freeze homemade meals that just need to heat up in a pot for dinner. Soups, stews, pastas, etc. just take the one you want for dinner out of the cooler in the morning to thaw. Heats in 15 min. Healthy. Also acts as an ice pack in the meantime.

Hope you stay healthy so you can keep hunting!

 

[Titan_Bow]

I struggle with high blood pressure, that I have been able to control with diet and exercise (as the medicine they had me on made me feel like crap). Being able to control it with how I eat has meant I have to get pretty creative with my hunting food supply.
I actually like oatmeal for breakfast, so I will usually have that, with a packet of almond butter, dried blueberries and hemp seed. I mix them beforehand and vacuum seal them for storage. For snacks, I dehydrate fruit, have trail mix, and have made my own granola bars (store bought ones usually have way more stuff in them you might not want). Lunch is either peanut butter or almond butter on a whole grain bagel, or tuna or salmon pack. The ones that come in olive oil are good. More fruit or trail mix as a late day snack, then for suppers, I dehydrate my own meals. My wife's chili mac, elk stew, wild turkey Tikka Masala, rabbit stew. etc. etc. I cook them at home so I can control the amount of salt and I control the ingredients going into them, then dehydrate them. They are way better then a Mountain House, and take up less room in my backpack as well.

 

[Michael Rankin]

What type of dehydrater do you use, and what do you package the meals in when done?

I struggle with high blood pressure, that I have been able to control with diet and exercise (as the medicine they had me on made me feel like crap). Being able to control it with how I eat has meant I have to get pretty creative with my hunting food supply.
I actually like oatmeal for breakfast, so I will usually have that, with a packet of almond butter, dried blueberries and hemp seed. I mix them beforehand and vacuum seal them for storage. For snacks, I dehydrate fruit, have trail mix, and have made my own granola bars (store bought ones usually have way more stuff in them you might not want). Lunch is either peanut butter or almond butter on a whole grain bagel, or tuna or salmon pack. The ones that come in olive oil are good. More fruit or trail mix as a late day snack, then for suppers, I dehydrate my own meals. My wife's chili mac, elk stew, wild turkey Tikka Masala, rabbit stew. etc. etc. I cook them at home so I can control the amount of salt and I control the ingredients going into them, then dehydrate them. They are way better then a Mountain House, and take up less room in my backpack as well.

 

[Titan_Bow]

What type of dehydrater do you use, and what do you package the meals in when done?

Just the regular square tray dehydrators. I have a 10 tray one from Cabelas, and a 5 tray Excelsior. I just vaccum seal them in the heavy duty vaccum bags, Game Savers or the heavy duty Cabelas stuff.

 

[rayporter]

dehydrated chilli?
carry some ice cream toppings like peanut butter or chocolate for the. ugh, oatmean, i mean oat meal.\

pasta? mac and cheese for lunch. make in a ziploc for easy clean up. i add dried burger but you could use chicken or tuna. or dried steak cubes. freeze dried beef cubes are out there as is chicken.

 

[Vandal 44]

If you have some type of heart issues, and are looking for ways to eat better and cleaner I would recommend getting with a dietitian. I would also recommend getting a major blood work up done and not the basic one that many doctors order for a simple physical.

I had a major blood panel done that my new doctor ordered up, he told me that it’s more in-depth and that he check for so much more than a normal doctor will do (most insurance companies on will pay for the basic blood panel). I got the invoice for it $1,400 thank goodness my insurance covered most of it.

There’s a lot of good information from the previous posters but I would start with a dietitian especially if I have some type of heart issue


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[GarrettG1991]

Ya my toast and coffee are vises I refuse to give up, two slices a day first thing in the morning.
Not to hot about fish unless I have caught it, Fresh fruits and Veggies could work in a pack situation, anyone ever try those tuna in a bag stuff ? I can do Tuna.
I do string cheese sticks in my pack, never tried almond butter? but if it is anything like that crap almond milk with the juice of 11 almonds in each 1/2 gallon you can keep it.
I do keep a baggy full of sugar free hard candy and cough drops in my pack, keeps my throat from drying out and passes time.
So guess the bagged meats such as tuna, chicken not sure if there is beef of some kind, is a good start.

I bought a 10 pack of bagged tuna from Costco, it’s not flavored but has a lime taste. It was pretty good, I always bring some ritz crackers and crush those up in it. Adding a Mayo packet would do wonders as well.

I can’t do nuts, they mess me stomach up. Anyone have recommendations for lightweight high protein foods that don’t contain nuts??

 

[Rob5589]

Be a good time to get a dehydrator and diy. Jerky of various meats will work, just watch the sodium levels; I like the tuna packs but again, watch the sodium; low carb tortillas with almond butter and honey; homemade dried berries and other low sugar index fruits; nuts and seeds.

 

[Opah]

"I would start with a dietitian especially if I have some type of heart issue"
Cardiac, MD, Health nurse, dieticians and rehab nurse have no Idea what Hiking, Camping hunting or anything over an afternoon is.
I have gotten Far better information here than anywhere else. much appreciated guys !

 

[butcherboy]

It gets complicated to eat healthy while out in the woods but can be done. Best way is like others have said is to prep your meals and snacks at home. I’m a diabetic so lots of things are off the table that I can use. Instant oatmeal in the packets is even bad. I’m going to try prepping all my meals and snacks at home as well.

 

[Mike Islander]

Besides sugar what other foods are out? What's wrong with noodles?

 

[Opah]

I love noodles but the carbs are what they whine about.
shit if it is good its bad, hell I went to a healthy living class at the hospital and they basically said if you are not grazing in your front yard it is unhealthy.
The instructor kicked me out when I pointed out we have fangs, our eye are in front of our heads we were made to hunt bite and rip the still pulsing blood flesh off of some animal. Not sure if all vegans are pale or just the ones in the class after The graphic description of knawing the ass off of a running elk I gave.
O-well loved watching them squirm !

 

[Opah]

OK all is set for My wild boar hunt, getting easy/fast thi8ngs to fix, a lot of protein, Tuna, Lean Ham, and some outstanding ribeye stakes !
I have Egg whites and various meats for breakfast, OOOH and I was Just told No caffeine (Major PITA), so I will see if Folgers premium dry roast decaf is in my French press coffee pot.
My wife seems to think that a Juicy fire cooked rib eye stake with a Ice cold brew, beside a blazing fife with a nice porker hanging from a tree, is Bad for Me. HAAAAA
This freaking Brown rice is like chewing gravel Ya tell me its bad and its out of here.
Hey! i check out the Tuna in a Bag. man 20, 25% salt my god its Tuna why so much freaking salt ?
So can mushrooms no salt added, Egg whites Egg yoke removed Tuna in the can in mountain spring water, precooked Brown rice in the boil and serve bags, lean sandwich ham, Bimbo bread, and Motterella sliced cheese, stake, can potatoes and caffeine free green Tea.
That should cover me for the four days 3 nights I will be hunting

 

[butcherboy]

Besides sugar for a diabetic, the carbs are bad because they break down to sugar. We ate Panda Express last night because my daughter had been begging for it for a few weeks now. My blood glucose last night was 391! I know, it’s bad. I also have high cholesterol. Lean protein and low carb is best for me. If I have a beef ribeye then I also have to make sure to have it with a salad/healthy dressing or with some kind of vegetable. Levels are a lot lower when I do that. Stay away from fast food amap. I love me a Blakes hb with green chili here in NM. Lol

 

[Mosby]

When I get really serious, my diet for hunting is what I call a wrestlers diet. You eat for fuel and you eat what you have to eat not always what you want. I now chop up dates and put them into my oatmeal for a sugar replacement. Add in some flax seed, chopped pecans and some cranberries and call it good. I am good till lunch if I eat oatmeal. Egg whites and vegetables added are also good when I want something besides oatmeal. A regular poached egg on a piece of low carb toast is ok too. Limit fruit juices to very small amounts.

Baked vegetables for lunch a lot. Frozen broccoli, carrots and cauliflower. Coat in avocado oil and add some salt and pepper or creole seasoning. I buy huge bags of it at Sam's and Costco. Apples, nuts, some energy bars and lots of water when I am on the mountain.

Turkey tacos using a chicken taco mix are great. Corn tortillas. Add some Rotel diced tomatoes and some avocado salsa on top. Grilled Tilapia with creole seasoning. Chili with diced and stewed tomatoes made with either elk meat or ground turkey. Salmon. Lots of chicken and turkey. Cucumber and onion salads with a very small amount of Italian lite dressing for flavor. Vegetables are your filler foods.

Exercise is a really important part of eating properly. Lifting weights is one of the best things you can do for reducing blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol especially if you are middle aged.

 

[Opah]

No one has mentioned Cabbage ? One of my go to is Popcorn shrimp and cold slaw salad mix with a red wine vinegar and cheese cubes.
I am really liking the shrimp in my diet and finding tons of way to have it.